Watch out for this Google Chrome scam

SCAMS that hijack the world's most popular browser, Google Chrome, are making the rounds again.

It starts with a fake error message. For computer users, this is a vexing problem because the underlying malicious code locks up the browser. "The bug that it triggers is more than just an annoyance in the sense that it will render your Chrome browser unresponsive," Jerome Segura, Lead Intelligence Analyst at Malwarebytes, told Fox News.

"In our tests, it also caused the operating system (Windows) to become unstable if we let it run for a certain amount of time," Segura said, adding that Google is looking into the issue.

The issue was covered in a blog post this week by Malwarebytes, which was cited in a report by Ars Technica.

Google has not yet responded to a request for comment.

After the malicious code locks the browser, the fake warning tries to trick a user into calling a number. Then, a person posing as a company representative - from, for example, a well-known American technology company - asks for sensitive personal or financial information to fix the bogus issue.

"That's where it does become a serious issue for the individual," Inga Goddijn, executive vice president at Risk Based Security, told Fox News. "These messages are purposely designed to cause fear and provoke users into turning over sensitive information or in some cases even control of their computer. From there, the scammers really are in the driver's seat."

There are other variants of the scam too. For example, one - which also locks up your browser - offers fake deals such as a gift card.

And other browsers can be affected too. But since Chrome is the most widely-used web browser, outpacing Microsoft Edge, Safari and Firefox, it has been the place where many users come across the problem.

Pressing CTRL-ALT-DELETE on your keyboard and using 'End Task' on Chrome should block the scam from working

IS THERE A FIX?

There are fixes to the issue, but the fixes can vary depending upon the scam.

In Windows, you can use the Task Manager to "end task" and terminate the browser. In macOS, users "force quit" a process, such as a browser.

But in some cases, however, users have to reset their browser so it won't open to the last opened page. Otherwise the fake message will keep returning and keep locking up the browser.

NO LEGITIMATE COMPANY WILL LOCK UP YOUR BROWSER

Finally, it's important to remember that no legitimate company would ever intentionally freeze a browser and force a user to reveal sensitive personal information.

"Microsoft and Apple do not send unsolicited email messages or make unsolicited phone calls to request personal or financial information or fix your computer," Malwarebytes said in a blog post. "Treat all unsolicited phone calls or pop-ups with scepticism. Do not provide any personal information."